Posts Tagged 'crystal'

DIY Swarovski Bracelet

I wanted to share a super easy technique for bead weaving that I used to create an adorable Swarovski crystal bracelet, at less than a tenth the price.

DIY Crystal bracelet

I needed 32 large frosted Swarovski beads, 16 clear ones and 32 small copper beads – you might need more depending on what size you want to make. Play around with different beads – this technique will work with almost anything!

Step 1 – thread a really long piece of beading string with 2 needles – one at each end. Pick up one bead in colour A, one colour B, another colour A and end with one more colour B.

DIY Crystal bracelet

Step 2 – Insert needle B back through the last bead added, so now both ends of your threads are coming out of one colour A bead, like so:

DIY Crystal bracelet

Step 3 – Pick up one colour B bead followed by a colour A bead on needle B . Pick up one colour B bead with needle A.

 DIY Crystal bracelet

Step 4 – Take needle A through the colour A bead.

DIY Bracelet

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until it’s the length you want:

DIY Bracelet

When it’s a good fit, pass both your needles through the base of your clasp and back through the end bead. You are now ready to add the side beads. Make sure they’re small enough to fit comfortably. I recommend doing both sides of the bracelet at the same time. You will pass the needles back though the last colour B bead, pick up one side bead with each needle and go through the next colour B bead, like so:

DIY beaded bracelet

Keep going this way until both sides are done:

DIY beaded bracelet

Tie off the end by passing through the end bead and the other end of your chosen clasp a few times. Weave your ends back through the bracelet after tying them off.

And voila! Your own beaded bracelet!

DIY beaded bracelet

DIY beaded bracelet

Enjoy :) And feel free to write to me with any questions.

Don’t forget about my contest folks – tell me your favourite craft for a chance to win a lovely resin necklace from the Blue Brick! Click here for details.

 

 

 

Crystal Ball earrings

Quickie post tonight as I blog from Calgary where it is colder and darker than it has any right to be.

These earrings were made last week, out of a new product that BeadFX is carrying – these lovely little antique brass spheres with embedded swaovski crystals :)

I love them :) Instant wardrobe staple.

 

I come by it honestly.

My mom is far more creative than I am. Here are her latest bracelets ;)

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery

White Swarovski crystals paired with ivory Swarovski pearls. Silver findings, a silver dragon charm and filigree toggle clasp top off this incredibly blingy bracelet.

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery

Each charm (there are 95 of them in total) is double wound at the base to prevent any charms from falling out or catching on clothing. Took about 4 hours, but definitely worth it!

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery

She also created this beautiful pink piece over the winter and we’ve only gotten to photograph it now;

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery

Square cut 6 mm Swarovski crystals in Indian Pink paired with deep chocolate Swarovski pearls, on a chain of antique copper with filigree toggle clasp and antique copper charms.

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery

She’s got such a natural design sense – paired with her equally natural love of loud, sparkly jewellery she comes up with things I would have never thought of – way to go mom!

Sundays with mom

Every Sunday for a few months now my mom and I have made a habit (quickly becoming a tradition) of getting together to design, make and photograph jewellery. Here are her latest!

These adorable, bunchy little earrings were our main project. They’re made with 4 different sizes of Swarovski crystal, tiered to created these sparkly little beauties.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between glass and crystal? This is something I looked up on the weekend – when lead oxide is added to glass it contributes weight, sparkle and strength – that’s what makes it a crystal.

Standards vary, but in Europe glass must contain at least 8% lead to be considered a crystal. High quality suppliers, such as Swarovski, must contain at least 30% lead, contributing to their extraordinary clarity and shine. In addition they are precision cut – using a method similar to cutting diamonds and other fine gemstones. Before I just loved using them because they’re so sparkly, but now I can understand a bit more of where that sparkle comes from!

We really must start shooting in the sunlight again – the lights in mom’s display cabinet just don’t do it justice.

We also created this elegant bracelet. Sterling silver filigree clasp, polished agate beads and oversized faceted Swarovski crystals on a thin, doubled steel cable for strength.

I love how mom likes to art direct the photography – she’s very creative in this – I think she enjoys taking the photos after as much as she enjoys the jewellery!

I also finally got mom downtown to show her the PATH project

(I’m sporting my awesome new knitted shawl, that I am now hopelessly addicted to and never without…)

It was another great episode of “Sandra Sundays” =o)

Designs by Sandra

Mom’s designs have come a long way since she started out, and last weekend she designed one of the best pieces I’ve seen so far.

Swarovski crystal bracelet

She went all out on this one:

  • 8mm Square cut smoky quartz Swarovski crystal centrepiece
  • 4mm Square cut aurora Swarovski crystal accents
  • Deep brown Swarovski pearls
  • Gold toho hexagonal cut seed beads
  • Sterling silver magnetic slide clasp
  • 6mm Swarovski bicone crystals

Swarovski crystal braceletSwarovski crystal bracelet

Here it is showing the 4 strands separated.

Swarovski crystal bracelet

One of my favourite things about the way mom and I make jewellery is that we never use plastic thread, fireline or stretchy cord (except in my woven bracelets, where I need the flexibility). Bracelets such as this one are made using light gauge steel cable. They’re reinforced with steel crimps at each end and the strand is doubled throughout. There is always a clasp, since we don’t use stretch cord, and the clasps are always silver, reinforced sometimes with magnets. In short, these bracelets will survive for many, many years without fear of wearing out, or breaking.

Swarovski crystal bracelet

For Christmas this year, one of the things I gave mom were her own business cards, and website at last!

Designs by Sandra

What cards would be complete without a snazzy little card holder?

You can check out mom’s work at 
http://shireen-n.com/sandra/
I’m hoping to get her set up with her own Etsy site soon as well!

 

Look! I made myself a bracelet =o)

At last! My mom has been at me for the fact that, despite all the jewellery I make, I’ve never made myself something. Well, here it is, the dragonfly bracelet.

dragonfly bracelet

It’s very me; I promised myself that if I ever did this I would go all out on materials:

  • Sterling silver oversized dragonfly clasp
  • 4mm bicone Swarovski crystals in Aqua
  • 3mm bicone Swarovski Crystals in Caribbean Blue
  • 4mm Deep brown Swarovski pearls
  • 2mm sterling silver seed beads
  • Smoky Quartz finish Japanese delicas
  • 2 Sterling silver filigree cone ends

dragonfly bracelet

Front view

dragonfly bracelet

Weave view

dragonfly bracelet

I’m in love with it. It’s inspira’ish by my personality – I love turquoise, I love silver and I love photographing insects – particularly dragonflies. I love late summer when the big drowsy ones come out.

This one is sort of  munching on a ladybug.

dragonfly bracelet

I can’t wait to see it in the sunlight!



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